Author's Note:

This is how I imagine Aphrodite as a new fledging! I hope you enjoy this, and if you do (or even dont) please feel free to leave reviews telling me what you think! They're very helpful as an aspiring writer. Enjoy!

Chapter One

~Settling In~

"Welcome to the House of Night, Aphrodite LaFont." Neferet smiled, fisting her hand over her heart and giving a small bow.

Formerly, my name had been Beth-Rose. Which, in my opinion, was a hideous name. What my parents were thinking, I had no idea. But since I was about to start a new life as a vampyre, I'd decided to change my name to fit with my best friend's, Venus-she'd been marked a few weeks ago.

"Thank you," I smiled back, copying her strange bow-it seemed to be protocol here. If I was going to make a good name for myself here, I would have to catch onto the strange habits, and fast.

"As High Priestess of the Tulsa House of Night, I would, of course, be here to meet you along with your mentor." Neferet said, leading me throughout the school. "But I see a very promising future in you, and I have to taken it into my own hands to become your mentor."

I studied Neferet out of the corner of my eye. She was beautiful, like all vamps were. Her hair was long and auburn; her eyes were a mossy green and shaped like almonds. I didn't know much about this new life, but I did know that being mentored by the most powerful vampyre in Tulsa was a big deal.

"If," Neferet continued, "you have any questions, I'll be here to assist you. You may seek my guidance at anytime you wish. Do not worry about being a bother." She turned her head to the side and gave me a motherly smile-the kind my mother sure as hell never gave me.

We entered a room that was filled with girls sitting around a flat screen, watching reruns of some reality show I wasn't familiar with.

"This is the girl's dorm. It's a place where you girls can just be regular teenagers, and do whatever it is you girls do." Neferet explained to me kindly, before turning her attention on the other girls. "Ladies, this is Aphrodite LaFont. She's our newest fledging here at the House of Night! I fully expect you all to be welcoming of her, and help her with anything she needs."

The girls chorused their hellos, most not even bothering to take their eyes from the television. I fought back a sigh, and plastered a sickeningly sweet smile, greeting them in return.

"Beth?" Came a voice from the top of the stairs. There was a thumping of someone running down a staircase, and then Venus was standing in front of me, crushing mr against her. "Beth!"

I hugged her back, then pushed her away from me, straightening my blouse. "Actually, it's Aphrodite now." I informed her.

Venus let her gaze fall to my feet, slowly lifting it up my body. "Huh," she said after a moment, "Aphrodite really suits you."

Neferet rested her hand on my shoulder, but was looking to Venus. "Aphrodite will be your new roommate. I feel that it'll be a relief for her to be with a former friend." She explained.

Venus nodded, taking my hand into hers. "I'll help her get settled in. You don't need to worry, I'll take good care of her." She smiled sweetly.

"Thank you, Venus. And blessed be." Neferet again fisted her hand over her heart.

"Blessed be," Venus murmured back before dragging me up the stairs and into our room.

"This is your bed," Venus pointed at it, "and that's you're closet next to it. Your uniforms are in there, which you'll have to wear to dinner."

I opened the closet and look at the uniforms inside, which admittedly weren't too horrible. Selecting one, I brought it into the bathroom to change.

After I shut the door behind me, I looked at myself in the mirror. I felt as though I was looking at a stranger. My hair was still the same, long and blonde. And my eyes were still the same baby blue. But my skin looked paler in contrast to the sapphire outlining of a crescent moon on my forehead. The crescent itself was bizarre to look at.

I began to unbutton my blouse-which was mostly unbuttoned anyway-and slid off my skirt that was almost too short for decency. I replaced my clothing with the uniform of the school and once again looked at myself. I looked even more foreign than before. It would definitely take time to get used to it. But if I made it through the change, I'd have all the time I needed.

When I exited the bathroom, I stuffed my clothes into the closet and plopped myself down on the bed, heaving out a sigh. I was exhausted. Looking over at the clock, I realized it was almost five-in the morning. I felt my eyelids droop, and my body felt heavy with exhaustion.

"Tired?" Venus chuckled.

"A little."

"Hey, everyone here has been through this. Learning to sleep during the day isn't the easiest thing to do, but you'll get used to it. I did."

"Thanks," I yawned, resisting the urge to rub my eye. I didn't want to ruin my makeup, especially not before dinner.

Venus glanced over at the clock. "Let's go eat. I 'll introduce you to my new friends."

New friends? Oh, crap.